Madame Victoire Umuhoza, a front runner in the upcoming Rwandan Elections of 2010 in opposition to current controversial President Kagame was beaten by a lynch mob along with her assistant outside of a government building where she was on official campaign business in Rwanda. Both her and her assistant were attacked, and when alerted, the authorities interrogated her assistant instead of providing the victims with assistance.

This situation is highly suspicious, and is being monitored extremely closely. I will provide updates as they become available. But for now, here is a press release by Madame Victoire Umuhoza’s party FDU Inkingi. Notable in the press release is the following:

UDF INKINGI hold the government responsible of that incident, as it took place in a government building, without any intervention at all from the authority. This is a grotesque and horrific practice of terror towards an opposition candidate.

Mrs. Victoire Ingabire, president of UDF-INKINGI and flag bearer of the party for the upcoming presidential election in Rwanda, has been beaten, along with her assistant, Joseph Ntawangundi. At around noon, an executive officer from Kinyinya Sector, known as Shema, invited her to collect administrative papers in respect to the application for a police record.

Upon arrival at Kinyinya premises, Mrs Ingabire was surrounded by a prepared lynch mob, beaten but managed to retreat to her vehicle. The assailant militia snatched her handbag and other personal belongings including her newly acquired ID and her passport. Mr. Joseph Ntawangundi, was savagely and thoroughly beaten by the vicious assailants without any intervention from the authority. He suffered ribs and legs injury and was stripped half naked. He was later rushed to King Fayçal Hospital in Kigali for emergency treatment and his condition is still worrying.

Alerted by the driver, the police reached the scene later and despite his condition took Mr. Joseph Ntawangundi, for interrogations. He was released after one and half hour.

UDF INKINGI hold the government responsible of that incident, as it took place in a government building, without any intervention at all from the authority. This is a grotesque and horrific practice of terror towards an opposition candidate.

This is just the latest in a growing list of blatant attacks and harassments that compromise public confidence in our security systems. The reign of terror being carried out by certain sectors of the administration, the police forces and militia lynching is unacceptable.

We mainly refer to other incidents that occurred on Wednesday 27th January 2010, at Nyagasambu (Kigali). Exercising our rights to freedom of movements in our country, our two vehicles were ordered by police officers to pull off. Drivers’ Licenses and vehicles registration papers were confiscated. The official charge was “careless driving”. Unable to substantiate the allegations on spot, the officers confirmed that they received orders from their hierarchy to stop our vehicles.

This is notwithstanding the numerous hate editorials of a section of public and hate media.

UDF INKINGI warns that these coward acts of intimidation will not deter the party from its resolve to push ahead for more democratisation of the country.

UDF INKINGI calls on the government to face its responsibilities and stop these acts which may jeopardise the whole electoral process.